Olympics 2024: Manika Batra to Play Adolescent in Indian Men's Table Tennis Team's Opening Match Against China

In the opening round of the Paris Olympics, the men's table tennis team from India will take on the four-time gold medalists from China. This will be a tough match. In the round of 16, the women's squad will play Romania. In the second round, they might play Germany, the silver medalists from Rio 2016. Notably, India has made it into team table tennis competitions for the first time. Conversely, since team events were added to the Olympic program in 2008, China has won the gold medal in the men's division in every edition.

Star paddler Manika Batra, who is ranked eighteen, will start her campaign against British adolescent Anna Hursey in the women's singles event.

Manika, an Olympian playing in her third Games following her debut in Rio 2016, advanced to the third round of the women's singles competition in Tokyo 2020. Hursey, though, is going to compete in her first Olympics.

Sreeja Akula, an Indian player, is ranked 16th and her round-of-64 matchup is against Christina Kallberg of Sweden.

In the men's singles, Slovenia's 27-year-old Deni Kozul will take against seasoned competitor Sharath Kamal, who will be competing in his record sixth Olympics.

Meanwhile, Harmeet Desai will begin his campaign in the first round. On July 27, Desai will take on Jordan's Zaid Abo Yaman.
There will be three matches in each of the men's and women's singles preliminary rounds. The preliminary round winners will be eligible for the round of 64.

If Harmeet prevails in the first round, he will play Felix Lebrun, a Frenchman ranked fifth in the world.
The Paris Olympics' table tennis events will take place from July 27 to August 10.
The South Paris Arena will host the men's and women's singles, mixed doubles, men's team, and women's team competitions.